Game using transponders to provide player awards

ABSTRACT

A bounty hunter game where game participants attempt to earn awards, or items, or to have awards or items taken away from another game participant, by transmitting information from electronic data storage elements, such as an RFBD tags, to a central game processing site. The electronic data storage elements may be carried by the game participants and/or placed at locations where game participants must go. Clues may be provided to game participants to lead them to electronic data storage elements. Clues may also be provided to game participants to lead them on a treasure hunt that is played simultaneously with the bounty hunter game.

BACKGROUND

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a game where game participants attemptto earn awards, or items, or to have awards or items taken away fromanother player, by transmitting information from electronic data storageelements, such as an RFID tags, to a game processing center.

(2) Description of Related Art

Evolving technologies allow products or other items to be tagged withinexpensive electronic data storage elements (“EDSEs”) then tracked bydevices that can read the information encoded into the tag. One form ofelectronic data storage element is a radio frequency transponder. Radiofrequency identification (“RFID”) uses low-powered radio transmitters toread data stored in a transponder at distances up to 200 feet away.Present applications of this technology include tracking assets,managing inventory, automatic vehicle identification, highway tolls andauthorizing payments. RFID technology is also used by certain automobilemanufacturers to provide electronic keys to their automobiles.

RFID systems originated in the 1940s when the U.S. government usedtransponders to distinguish between friendly and enemy aircraft.Aircraft still utilize transponders today for aircraft tracking. Inaddition to tracking aircraft, the airline industry, along with the FAAhas used RFID tags to route baggage and increase air security. In the1970s, the U.S. government used RFID systems for tracking livestock andnuclear material. Companies such as McDonald's and Exxon Mobile havetested RFID chips to allow customers to pay for food or gas.

RFID technology is known to those skilled in the art. Commercialutilizations typically operate in a number of unlicensed frequencybands, with 125 KHz and 13.56 MHz being the most common. The greater thebandwidth the more information a RFID tag can hold. For instance, a13.56 MHZ tag can hold as much as 2,000 bits of data, roughly 30 timesthe information that can be held on a 125 KHz tag. Active RFID tags areequipped with a battery that allows an active tag to transmit a signalto a reader. These tags often provide the greatest range, up to 200feet, but are more expensive than other tags. Passive RFID tags are notbattery powered. They draw power from the electromagnetic waves emittedfrom the receiver-transmitter. The read range of these tags is generallyunder three meters and the tags are inexpensive to manufacture.Semi-passive RFID tags have batteries like active RFID tags, but thebattery is only used to power the tag's microchip circuitry, it does notpower the transmission from the tag to the reader. Semi-passive tagsalso have longer read ranges than passive tags.

One example of EDSE or RFID use is inventory control. In thisapplication, an RFID tag is placed on the item to be tracked. Up to2,000 bits of data are stored on a memory chip that is housed in abutton or integrated circuit card. Tags can also be etched on asubstrate that is then embedded in a paper or plastic tag. Theinformation stored on the tag may include a unique productidentification code, the place of product manufacture and the place ofsale. The tag may include a battery or it may be passive. A RFIDtransmitter-receiver or reader is utilized that contains a transmitter,receiver and digital control module connected to a transmitting antenna.When the control module senses a tag, it interrogates the tag (afterawakening the tag if passive), decodes the data and typically passesthat data on to a host system by way of wired or wireless communication.The host system assimilates the data received from the product tags andthe data is used to track product inventory and sales.

The majority of RFID tags are write-once/read-only, but others offerread/write capability such that the information contained on the tag canbe rewritten. For instance if tracking an item in transit, theinformation can be rewritten as the item travels along its route or isrerouted. RFID readers may be hand-held and wireless. Devices are beingproduced that combine an RFID reader with a wireless, mobile telephone,such as the Nokia Mobile RFID Kit for Nokia 5140 and Nokia 5140i. ASmart Card Alliance task force is working toward building a robustmarket for contactless payments utilizing mobile telephones equippedwith RFID technology.

Several companies have developed RFID technology, including TexasInstruments (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,347,280 and 5,541,604), IBM (see U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,528,222; 5,550,547; 5,521,601; and 5,682,143),Motorola/Indala (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,378,880 and 5,565,846), andMikron/Philips Semiconductors (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,442,507; 4,796,074;5,095,362; 5,296,722; and 5,407,851). In addition, RFID technology andtracking systems are described in additional patents, including U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,424,262 and 6,484,780 to Garber, assigned to 3M (describingthe use of RFID to track library materials); U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,804 toBrady, assigned to Intecmec (describing a RFID system employing a thin,flexible RFID tag and integrated antenna); U.S. Patent Application2002/0139848 (describing a system for tracking a changeable descriptionof an article for use in a home inventory system); and U.S. Pat. No.6,563,417 to Shaw, assigned to Identec Solutions (describing a RFIDmethod of tracking products moving along a distribution path). Otherpatents and patent applications describe other uses for RFID technology.For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/859,359 by Hinddescribes a method for providing targeted advertising and personalizedcustomer services using RFID tagged products and wireless communicationdevices and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/442533 by Hidarydescribes a system for distributing and retrieving information about anobject using RFID transponders and Internet access devices.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/230,049 by Sprogis discloses amethod and apparatus for providing awards using transponders. U.S. Pat.No. 6,932,698 and No. 6,320,495 to Sprogis describe the use of locationpositioning technology to direct a game participant to a specificlocation or locations.

Examples of RFID technology and uses can also be found in the June 2003Equity Research of Bear Stearns, titled Supply-Chain Technology:Track(ing) to the Future, The Impending RFID-based Inventory Revolution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves a game wherein participants are providedwith electronic data storage elements, such as radio frequencyidentification (“RFID”) tags, and data readers. The game participantstry to be the first game participant to read the RFID tag(s) of othergame participants and to send that information to a game processingcenter. The participant transmitting information to the game processingcenter is awarded points or some other award, such as an item, fortransmitting information from the other players' RFID tag. In addition,the game player or participant whose information is sent by the othergame participant to the game processing center may be eliminated fromthe game, either permanently or for a certain period of time, havepoints taken away, or lose an item. The object of the game is to earnawards (points, items, etc.), eliminate other players, and be the lastgame participant in the game—the last man standing.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, players are alsoprovided with awards or items for transmitting information to the gameprocessing center or centers from RFID tags that are not associated withother game participants. For example, RFID tags are placed in fast foodrestaurants and when a game participant enters the restaurant, reads thetag and transmits the tags' identification information to a gameprocessing center, the player is provided with an award such asadditional points, an item, or a period of invincibility wherein theplayer may not be captured or eliminated from the game. The capturedplayer may also have points taken away, lose items or have his or herpoints or items transferred to the capturing player. Players may bedirected to specific locations where tags have been placed through theuse of location positioning technology such as GPS. Numerous variationson the basic concept of the invention can also be implemented.

All documents, including other patents and references, referred to inthis document are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety,although no documents are admitted to render any of the claims hereinunpatentable either alone or in combination with any other referencesknown by the applicant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the components of the system and method involving twogame participants.

FIG. 2 depicts an aspect of the invention where RFID tags are placed inbusiness establishments to drive customer traffic.

FIG. 3 depicts a further embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention involves a game played by game participants. Thegame is in the form of a bounty hunter game, in that there are playersthat are hunting other players, Hunters, and other players that aretrying to escape capture by the Hunters, the Hunted. Players may sign upfor the game as either Hunters or Hunted.

Each player or participant is equipped with: an electronic data storageelement such as a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag; a readercapable of reading the information stored on the RFID tag; and awireless communications device capable of communicating with a gameprocessing center or centers that manage the game and provide awards tothe players. The object of the game is to earn awards, points, items orother awards by, among other things, capturing the Hunted or byeliminating Hunters. Items might include such things as a virtual swordthat may be used in the game by the participant, health boosts to givethe participant extended life or any of a multitude of other itemstypically sought by players of computer and video games and known in thegaming industry. Capture or elimination awards are earned by sendinginformation from the RFID tag of the participant captured or eliminatedto the game processing center before that person is able to send theinformation from your RFID tag to the game processing center. Anotherobject of the game is to stay in the game as long as possible, avoidingelimination, and being be the last player standing.

A description of the game involving two participants is now describedusing FIG. 1. A first participant (10) is provided with a RFID tag (11)that contains information identifying the first participant, such as analpha-numeric code that is associated with the participant. The firstparticipant also carries a reader capable of reading RFID tags (12). InFIG. 1, the RFID tag (11) is carried by the first participant on a beltthat can also hold the first participant's RFID tag reader (12) and awireless communications device, such as a cellular telephone (13). Asdepicted in FIG. 1, the RFID tag reader (12) and the wirelesscommunications device (13) may be integrated into a single unit (14),such as the Nokia Mobile RFID Kit for the Nokia 5140 and Nokia 5140i. Asecond game participant (20) is also provided with an RFID tag (21) thatcontains information identifying the second game participant (20). Thesecond game participant (20) also carries, in this example, anintegrated device (24), comprising an RFID reader (22) and a wirelesscommunication device such as a cellular telephone (23).

When a first game participant (10) comes into proximity of the RFID tagcarried by a second game participant (20), such that the first gameparticipant's tag reader (12) can read the second game participant'sRFID tag (21) and, conversely, the second game participant's reader (22)can read the first game participant's tag (11), the race is on.

The first game participant's tag reader (12) receives the identificationinformation from the second game participant's RFID tag (21) anddisplays that information to the first game participant (10) on hisreader (12). The first game participant (10) must then, using hiswireless communications device (13), transmit the identificationinformation to a game processing center (30) before the second gameparticipant (20) receives and transmits information from the first gameparticipant (10) to the game processing center (30). The information maybe transmitted to the processing center (30), which may comprise acomputer with a processor and a memory, by using cellular, voice overInternet protocol, Internet or other technologies.

When the game processing center (30) receives the transmittedinformation it recognizes the information as identifying the second gameparticipant (20). This may be done easily by such methods as having alook-up table that matches the identification information from the RFIDtag to the name of the game participant. Other methods of matching theRFID tag information to the game participant carrying the RFID tag areof course possible and are well-known to those skilled in the art. Theidentification information could even be the participant's name. Thegame processing center then will note that the second game participant(20) has been captured (if it is a Hunted) or eliminated (if it is aHunter). The second game participant (20) is then excluded from theremainder of the game.

In addition to excluding the second game participant (20) from theremainder of the game, the game processing center (30) may also, oralternatively, award capture or elimination points to the first gameplayer (10). For example, it may be worth five points to capture aHunted or eliminate a Hunter and upon the game processing center'sreceipt of identification information from an RFID tag it may award fivepoints to the participant sending the information. The game processingcenter identifies the participant sending the information by, forexample, recognizing the cellular telephone number of the participantthat transmits the RFID information. The participant sending theidentification information may also send a pre-assigned code to identifyherself.

Instead of eliminating the second participant whose information is firsttransmitted to the game processing center, in order to facilitate longerplay the game processing center may instead isolate that participantfrom the game for a period of time. This may be done by disabling thesecond game participant's RFID reader (22) or implementing a screen sothat no information sent by the second game participant's wirelesscommunication device (23) is processed by the game processing center(30). This embodiment of the game is similar to the disabling of aplayer's laser gun after that player is tagged in the popular game oflaser tag. To enhance the game, game participants may be sent clues asto the location of other game participants or RFIDs on their wirelesscommunications device.

Other envisioned permutations include deducting points from the capturedor eliminated participant or changing the participant from Hunter toHunted or vice versa. Deducted points could be awarded to the capturingor eliminating game participant as well.

RFID tags also may be placed at selected locations in and around thearea in which the game is played, such as in business establishments, onlampposts or on the side of a building. This aspect of the invention isillustrated FIG. 2.

Businesses that wish to drive traffic to their locations place RFID tags(31) at strategic locations, such as the counter of a fast foodrestaurant (32). Game participants (10) that enter the restaurant andapproach the counter (32) interrogate the RFID tag (31) with theirreader (12). The information from the tag (31) is then transmitted bythe game participant (10) to a game processing center (30) using awireless communication device such as a cellular telephone (13). Theinformation from the tag is correlated with a designated function by thegame processing center (30). For example, the game participant (10) maybe awarded immunity from game capture or elimination for a period oftime as an award for transmitting the RFID tag (31) information to thegame processing center (30). The game processing center (30) recognizesthe game participant (10), for example, by the telephone number of theparticipant's cellular telephone (13). The game then gives thetransmitting game participant (10) immunity from capture or eliminationfor a period of time, for example, 15 minutes. During the period ofimmunity, the game processing center (30), if it receives theinformation from the game participant's RFID tag (11) from another gameparticipant, will not eliminate the participant.

In one embodiment of the invention, the person entering the fast foodrestaurant or other establishment must make a purchase in order to earnan award (either an initial award or a second award in addition to anaward for sending RFID information). This embodiment is depicted in FIG.3. In this case, the person is provided with a code (40) at the time ofpurchase indicating that a purchase has been made. The code (40) ispreferably present on the receipt for the purchase (41), but may also beincluded in the packaging of the item purchased (42) or otherwiseprovided. The game participant then types the code (40) into his or herwireless communications device (13) and the code is sent back to thegame processing center which recognizes the code as indicative of apurchase and provides awards commensurate with the purchase. The awardmay be extended periods of immunity or some other award.

This embodiment is depicted with the game participants carrying theirown identifying RFID tag on their person. It is not a limitation of theinvention, however, that game participants carry RFID tags. Playeridentifying RFID tags could be placed on the player's car or in theirhome. Or, player identifying RFID tags may be eliminated and the gameplayed by game participants going to where RFID tags are located,transmitting the identifying information from the RFID tag to a gameprocessing center and receiving awards.

The present invention may also be used in conjunction with a treasurehunt game, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,698, which isincorporated herein by reference. In the treasure hunt game,participants are guided in a treasure hunt through clues that areprovided to the participants on RFID readers. RFID tags containing cluesare placed along the treasure hunt route such that when a participantarrives at a site with an RFID tag, the participant reads the clue fromthe tag with her RFID tag reader and may then, upon deciphering theclue, proceed to the next location of the treasure hunt route, read anddecipher the next clue on the next tag and move on. This continues untilthe participant completes the treasure hunt route. At that point, and/orat interim points, the participant is provided an award.

In another embodiment, the game participants play in a treasure huntgame, consisting of providing clues to participants to direct them to afinal destination, while the participants are simultaneously playing theBounty Hunter game such as described above. The participants may beprovided with the location of an RFID tag and use locating positioningtechnology such as GPS in order to find the tag. In this way, theexcitement of seeking to capture or eliminate players is added to thethrill of a treasure hunt game.

The preceding examples are preferred embodiments of the invention. Theinvention itself is not limited to the examples above, and as will beappreciated by one skilled in the art, can be practiced in numerousvariations on the above. The invention is limited only by the followingclaims.

1. A game involving one or more game participants comprising: (a) one ormore electronic data storage elements containing identificationinformation; (b) one or more electronic data storage element readerscapable of reading the identification information that is contained onthe electronic data storage elements; (c) one or more communicationsdevices capable of sending the identification information that iscontained on the electronic data storage element and read by theelectronic data storage element reader to a game processing center; and(d) an award provided to the game participant that sends theidentification information that is contained on the electronic datastorage element and read by the electronic data storage element readerto the game processing center.
 2. The game of claim 1 wherein saidelectronic data storage element is a radio frequency identification tag.3. The game of claim 1 wherein said electronic data storage element(s)are carried by the one or more game participants and the identificationinformation identifies said game participant(s).
 4. The game of claim 1wherein the electronic data storage element(s) are placed in locationswhere game participant traffic is desired.
 5. The game of claim 4wherein the game participant is provided with a code when a purchase ismade and wherein the award is provided for providing said code to saidgame processing center.
 6. The game of claim 1 wherein the award is gamepoints credited to the game participant that sends the identificationinformation that is contained on the electronic data storage element. 7.The game of claim 1 wherein the award is an item, such as a virtualsword.
 8. The game of claim 1 wherein the award is a period ofinvincibility during which the game participant that sends theidentification information that is contained on the electronic datastorage element may not be captured or eliminated by other gameparticipants.
 9. The game of claim 1 wherein the game participant(s) areprovided clues to help locate the electronic data storage elements. 10.The game of claim 9 wherein the game participant(s) locate theelectronic data storage elements using location positioning technology.11. The game of claim 10 wherein the clues consist of a latitude andlongitude.
 12. The game of claim 3 wherein the award is a deduction ofpoints or items from the game participant whose identificationinformation is provided to the game processing center.
 13. The game ofclaim 12 wherein the points or items deducted from the game participantwhose identification information is provided to the game processingcenter are credited to the game participant who sends the identificationinformation.
 14. The game of claim 3 wherein the game participant whoseidentification information is provided to the game processing center iseliminated from the game.
 15. The game of claim 14 wherein theelimination from the game is permanent.
 16. The game of claim 14 whereinthe game participant that has not been eliminated from the game when allother said game participants have been eliminated is the winner.
 17. Abounty hunter game involving two or more game participants comprising:(a) two or more electronic data storage elements containing informationthat identifies said game participants; (b) two or more electronic datastorage element readers capable of reading the identificationinformation that is contained on the electronic data storage elements;(c) two or more communications devices capable of sending theidentification information that is contained on the electronic datastorage elements to a game processing site; (d) awards that are providedto the game participant that sends the identification information thatis contained on the electronic data storage element and read by theelectronic data storage element reader to the award processing center.18. The game of claim 17 wherein said electronic data storage element isa radio frequency identification tag.
 19. The game of claim 17 whereinthe electronic data storage elements are carried by the gameparticipants.
 20. The game of claim 17 wherein the electronic datastorage elements are placed in locations where game participant trafficis desired.
 21. The game of claim 20 wherein the game participants areprovided with clues to the location of the electronic data storageelements and locate the electronic data storage elements using locationpositioning technology.
 22. The game of claim 21 wherein the cluesconsist of a latitude and longitude.
 23. The game of claim 20 whereinthe game participants are provided with a code when a purchase is madeand wherein an award is provided said game participants for providingsaid code to said game processing center.
 24. The game of claim 17wherein the award is points credited to the game participant that sendsthe identification information that is contained on the electronic datastorage elements.
 25. The game of claim 17 wherein the award is an item,such as a virtual sword.
 26. The game of claim 17 wherein the award is aperiod of invincibility during which the participant that sends theidentification information that is contained on the electronic datastorage elements may not be captured or eliminated by other gameparticipants.
 27. The game of claim 17 wherein the award is a deductionof points or items from the game participant whose identificationinformation is provided to the game processing center.
 28. The game ofclaim 27 wherein the points or items deducted from the game participantwhose identification information is provided to the game processingcenter are credited to the game participant who sends the identificationinformation.
 29. The game of claim 17 wherein the game participant whoseidentification information is provided to the game processing center iseliminated from the game.
 30. The game of claim 29 wherein theelimination from the game is permanent.
 31. The bounty hunter game asdescribed in claim 17 wherein the game participants simultaneously playa treasure hunt game comprising clues transmitted from the gameprocessing center to the game participants' wireless communicationsdevices to guide game participants on a treasure hunt.
 32. A treasurehunt game involving one or more game participants and using electronicdata storage elements comprising: (a) electronic data storage elementscontaining clues to direct the one or more game participants on atreasure hunt; (b) electronic data storage element readers capable ofreading and displaying said clues to said game participants; (c) readingsaid clues on said electronic data storage element readers and followingsaid clues on said treasure hunt; and (d) providing an award to saidgame participant that completes said treasure hunt.
 33. A method ofplaying a bounty hunter game involving two or more game participantscomprising: (a) providing the game participants with electronic datastorage elements containing information that identifies said gameparticipants; (b) providing the game participants with electronic datastorage element readers capable of reading the identificationinformation that is contained on the electronic data storage elementsand with communications devices capable of sending the identificationinformation contained on the electronic data storage elements to a gameprocessing center; and (c) providing an award to the game participantthat sends the identification information contained on the data storageelement of another game participant and read by the electronic datastorage element reader to the game processing site.
 34. The method ofclaim 33 wherein said electronic data storage element is a radiofrequency identification tag.
 35. The method of claim 33 whereinadditional electronic data storage elements are placed in locationswherein customer traffic is desired.
 36. The game of claim 35 whereinthe game participant is provided with a code when a purchase is made andwherein an award is provided to said game participant for providing saidcode to said game processing center.
 37. The method of claim 33 whereinthe award is game points credited to the game participant that sends theidentification information contained on the electronic data storageelements.
 38. The method of claim 33 wherein the award is an item, suchas a virtual sword.
 39. The method of claim 33 wherein the award is aperiod of invincibility during which the game participant that sends theidentification information may not be captured or eliminated by othergame participants.
 40. The method of claim 33 wherein the gameparticipants carry the electronic data storage elements and wherein theaward is a deduction of points or items from the game participant whoseidentification information is provided to the game processing center.41. The method of claim 40 wherein the points or items deducted from thegame participant whose identification information is provided to thegame processing center are credited to the game participant who sendsthe other game participant's identification information.
 42. The methodof claim 33 wherein the game participant whose identificationinformation is provided to the game processing center is eliminated fromthe game.
 43. The method of claim 33 wherein the elimination from thegame is permanent.
 44. The method of claim 33 wherein the gameparticipants are provided clues to help locate the electronic datastorage elements.
 45. The method of claim 44 wherein the gameparticipants locate the electronic data storage elements using locationpositioning technology.
 46. The method of claim 45 wherein the cluesconsist of a latitude and longitude.
 47. A method of playing a treasurehunt game using electronic data storage elements comprising: (a)locating electronic data storage elements containing clues to direct oneor more game participants on a treasure hunt along a treasure huntroute; (b) providing electronic data storage element readers capable ofreading and displaying said clues to said game participants; and (c)reading said clues on said electronic data storage element readers andfollowing said clues on said treasure hunt.
 48. The method of playingthe bounty hunter game as described in claim 33 wherein gameparticipants simultaneously play a treasure hunt game comprising cluestransmitted from the game processing center to participants' wirelesscommunications devices to guide participants on a treasure hunt.